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Unusual Rock Trivia?
- Thread starter Aberdumbie
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Thunderclap Newman was a British rock band that Pete Townshend of The Who and Kit Lambert (The Who Manager) formed in 1969 in a bid to showcase the talents of John "Speedy" Keen (The Who chauffeur), Jimmy McCulloch (who played later with Wings), and Andy "Thunderclap" Newman.
From 1969 until 1971, the nucleus of the band consisted of the songwriter John "Speedy" Keen (vocals, drums, guitar), Andy "Thunderclap" Newman (piano) and Jimmy McCulloch (guitar). Pete Townshend (using the alias "Bijou Drains") played bass guitar on their album and singles, all of which he had recorded and produced at the IBC Studio and his Twickenham home studio. The band augmented its personnel during its tours: in 1969 with James "Jim" Pitman-Avery (bass guitar) and Jack McCulloch (drums); and in 1971 with Ronnie Peel (bass guitar) and Roger Felice (drums).
Before then, Townshend had planned to work on projects for each of the musicians, but Kit Lambert prevailed upon Townshend, who was working on what became the rock-opera Tommy, to save time by coalescing the three musicians into the collective project that became Thunderclap Newman.
From 1969 until 1971, the nucleus of the band consisted of the songwriter John "Speedy" Keen (vocals, drums, guitar), Andy "Thunderclap" Newman (piano) and Jimmy McCulloch (guitar). Pete Townshend (using the alias "Bijou Drains") played bass guitar on their album and singles, all of which he had recorded and produced at the IBC Studio and his Twickenham home studio. The band augmented its personnel during its tours: in 1969 with James "Jim" Pitman-Avery (bass guitar) and Jack McCulloch (drums); and in 1971 with Ronnie Peel (bass guitar) and Roger Felice (drums).
Before then, Townshend had planned to work on projects for each of the musicians, but Kit Lambert prevailed upon Townshend, who was working on what became the rock-opera Tommy, to save time by coalescing the three musicians into the collective project that became Thunderclap Newman.
The Essex..... Easier Said Than Done & He's A Walking Miracle.
I personally attach a lot of fond high school memories to this group and their music.
..... rumor has it they walked into a recording studio, and popped their first big hit song off in one take since they wanted it to be the "B" side.
The group consisted of five Marines stationed at Camp LeJeune. The four male members were present at the formation of the group, then recruited lead singer Anita Humes after hearing her sing at the NCO club.
I personally attach a lot of fond high school memories to this group and their music.
..... rumor has it they walked into a recording studio, and popped their first big hit song off in one take since they wanted it to be the "B" side.
The group consisted of five Marines stationed at Camp LeJeune. The four male members were present at the formation of the group, then recruited lead singer Anita Humes after hearing her sing at the NCO club.
- This was co-written by another Marine stationed at Camp LeJeune, William Linton, who explained: "I was working in the communication department. We had a bunch of teletype machines, and when they were all running together, they had a beat. The sound of the teletype machines inspired the beat of 'Easier Said Than Done.'"
- The group thought that the A-side of their first single was going to be "Are You Going My Way," as the bulk of the studio time alloted to them was dedicated to recording that song - they recorded "Easier Said Than Done" in less than five minutes.
- The recording of "Easier Said Than Done" that the group made at the end of the session was so short that parts of the song had to be spliced together to produce a finished, longer, master recording.
- The group did not like the song at all - they recorded it as a favor to their friend Linton. They also didn't like the followup, the #12 "A Walkin' Miracle," which used the same beat and chords.
Jimmy McCulloch joined Paul McCartney & Wings in 1974 and was name checked in his first record with the band, "Junior's Farm" ("Take me down Jimmy!"). He played on three albums and the 1975/76 Wings Over the World tour. (That's his solo on the live version of "Maybe I'm Amazed").
He left Wings in 1977 to join a reunited Small Faces.
He later started a band called Wild Horses that included Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy, Moterhead), Jimmy Bain (Raionbow, Dio) and Kenny Jones (Small Faces, The Who).
Was that 1971 tour to Australia?
and in 1971 with Ronnie Peel (bass guitar) and Roger Felice (drums).
^ a couple of Aussies I’m pretty sure.
John Hall, guitarist and vocalist with the band Orleans, was a a New York State politician and became the United States Congressional Representative of New York State's 19th District from 2007 to 2011. He rejoined Orleans in 2012 and has been with the band since.
Ray Charles played classical music and read music.
Ray Charles started to lose his sight at the age of four or five, and was completely blind by the age of seven, apparently as a result of glaucoma. Ray's mother, used her connections in the local community to find a school that would accept a blind African-American pupil. Despite his initial protest, Charles attended school at the Invalid Link Removed in Invalid Link Removed from 1937 to 1945.
Charles further developed his musical talent at school and was taught to play the classical piano music of J.S. Bach, Mozart and Invalid Link Removed. His teacher, Mrs. Lawrence, taught him how to use braille music which was a difficult process that requires learning the left hand movements by reading braille with the right hand and learning the right hand movements by reading braille with the left hand, and then combining the two parts. While Charles was happy to play classical music, he was more interested in the jazz, blues, and country music he heard on the radio. On Fridays, the South Campus Literary Society held assemblies at which Charles would play piano and sing popular songs. On both Halloween and George Washington's birthday, the black department of the school held socials at which Charles would play. It was here he established "RC Robinson and the Shop Boys" and sang his own arrangement of "Jingle Bell Boogie". During this time, he performed on WFOY radio in St. Augustine.
Ray Charles started to lose his sight at the age of four or five, and was completely blind by the age of seven, apparently as a result of glaucoma. Ray's mother, used her connections in the local community to find a school that would accept a blind African-American pupil. Despite his initial protest, Charles attended school at the Invalid Link Removed in Invalid Link Removed from 1937 to 1945.
Charles further developed his musical talent at school and was taught to play the classical piano music of J.S. Bach, Mozart and Invalid Link Removed. His teacher, Mrs. Lawrence, taught him how to use braille music which was a difficult process that requires learning the left hand movements by reading braille with the right hand and learning the right hand movements by reading braille with the left hand, and then combining the two parts. While Charles was happy to play classical music, he was more interested in the jazz, blues, and country music he heard on the radio. On Fridays, the South Campus Literary Society held assemblies at which Charles would play piano and sing popular songs. On both Halloween and George Washington's birthday, the black department of the school held socials at which Charles would play. It was here he established "RC Robinson and the Shop Boys" and sang his own arrangement of "Jingle Bell Boogie". During this time, he performed on WFOY radio in St. Augustine.
You can add Ian Lloyd to that list. He was the lead singer of the band Stories who had a hit with "Brother Louie" in 1973. The unusual rock trivia about Ian Lloyd is that he sang backup on Foreigner's first LP.
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The UK band Wild Horses featured bassist Jimmy Bain on lead vocals on most songs. The song "Flyaway" off their self-titled debut album (1980) was co-written by Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, who also sung on the song's demo. The album was produced by Yes guitarist Trevor Rabin. Their debut alternates between songs sounding like leftover Thin Lizzy material (reminiscent of "The Boys Are Back In Town") and attempts to fit in with the new 80s pop music. Their second album, Stand Your Ground, presents a more cohesive rock record.
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Ian Lloyd also did several solo albums featuring many well known musicians. A single "Slip Away" was written by Ric Ocasek of The Cars and sure sounds like The Cars could have done it. He was in a band called Fast Forward with Bruce Fairbairn and Jim Vallance and others that should have gone somewhere. He has also done lots of session work with many acts including Foreigner, Billy Joel, Peter Frampton, Yes, Survivor, and more.
He recorded the first version of "Straight From The Heart" that Bryan Adams co-wrote before he did it.
Any idea which Yes album (or song) Ian Lloyd sang on? Unless it was that Union monstrosity they seem like an odd band for bringing in session singers.
Harpo Marx real birth name was Adolph.
He taught himself how to play the harp. There were no harp teachers in town. He tuned the harp wrong and played that way the rest of his life.
He knew only two songs on piano, but leveraged what he knew.
He taught himself how to play the harp. There were no harp teachers in town. He tuned the harp wrong and played that way the rest of his life.
He knew only two songs on piano, but leveraged what he knew.
Tina Turner (Born Anna Mae Bullock November 26, 1939) has been living in a lake house, Château Algonquin in Küsnacht, next to Zürich, Switzerland since moving there in 1994.
On January 25, 2013, it was announced that Turner had applied for Swiss citizenship, and that she would relinquish her U.S. citizenship. In April 2013, she undertook a mandatory citizenship test which included advanced knowledge of German (the official language of the canton of Zürich) and of Swiss history. On April 22, 2013, she became a citizen of Switzerland and was issued a Swiss passport. Turner signed the paperwork to give up her American citizenship at the U.S. embassy in Bern on October 24, 2013.
While at a record label party in London in 1985, Turner met German music executive Erwin Bach, who is sixteen years her junior. Initially friends, Turner and Bach began dating the following year, and have remained together ever since. In July 2013, after a 27-year romantic partnership, the couple married in a civil ceremony in Switzerland.
On January 25, 2013, it was announced that Turner had applied for Swiss citizenship, and that she would relinquish her U.S. citizenship. In April 2013, she undertook a mandatory citizenship test which included advanced knowledge of German (the official language of the canton of Zürich) and of Swiss history. On April 22, 2013, she became a citizen of Switzerland and was issued a Swiss passport. Turner signed the paperwork to give up her American citizenship at the U.S. embassy in Bern on October 24, 2013.
While at a record label party in London in 1985, Turner met German music executive Erwin Bach, who is sixteen years her junior. Initially friends, Turner and Bach began dating the following year, and have remained together ever since. In July 2013, after a 27-year romantic partnership, the couple married in a civil ceremony in Switzerland.
Tom Petty's first national television appearance as a bass player was when he played for Tulsa's Twilley on the short-lived children's comedy and variety show "W.A.C.K.O." in the late 1970s. They were invited back four times, Twilley recently said during an interview at his Big Oak Studio in Tulsa. Both were signed to Shelter Records, co-founded by Tulsa Sound icon Leon Russell in the 1970s. "A lot of people used to think Petty was from Tulsa. It used to really bother him," said Twilley of the Florida-born multi-instrumentalist. Even though Russell was the cornerstone, Shelter Records signed artists including J. J. Cale, the Gap Band, and Twilley, as well as Freddie King, Petty, Jimmie Rogers, Phoebe Snow, Larry Hosford and the Grease Band. Shelter Records co-owner Denny Cordell changed the names of Petty's band (formerly Mudcrutch) and Twilley's band (formerly Oister) around the time the pair started working for the studio. "He was key in making us both household names," Twilley said in a recent Tulsa World interview. In fact, a pre-fame Petty played guitar on the Twilley tune "Looking for the Magic," from the latter's "Twilley Don't Mind" album, released in 1977. "Tom and Dwight ran around together," said Tulsa producer and filmmaker Jon Schroeder. Petty also sang on Twilley's hit tune "Girls" nearly a decade later. "Petty wasn't in the video, but the director hired a girl that looked just like him to perform in it," Schroeder said. Petty recorded music here in Tulsa, too. Russell's Shelter Records operated with Cordell from 1969 to 1981. In 1976, Russell left to start Paradise Records.
When Leon Russel passed, his estate was supposedly less than $600k. It may explain why he continued to tour despite poor health.
Anyone else feel that John Keen's vocals sounded a bit like Chris Squire?
I always have.
I did a recording at Criteria Studios in Miami.. My basses rested on top of the Layla piano for those dates.
Former Wings drummer Joe English joined Sea Level.
Sea Level was formed by three Allman Brothers alumni: Chuck Leavell (C. Leavell, get it?), Jaimoe, and Lamar Williams. Joe English later replaced Jaimoe.
Chuck Leavell now plays with the Rolling Stones.
